Turner, a former Hartlepool manager and director of sport, added: “Mal Purchase (fitness coach) has been working with him to get him fit, but more importantly making sure he’ll stay fit and not break down again.”

Turner, who confirmed yesterday that Tendayi Darikwa has joined Championship side Burnley, has indicated that he expects new faces in the playing squad “fairly imminently”, indicating that some of Dean Saunders’ targets who are currently training with Championship clubs have been made offers.

He’s also promised that some of the new men will “excite” Spireites supporters.

Chesterfield bring their pre-season programme to a conclusion tomorrow.

Ronnie Moore’s North-easterners lost their only home pre-season match to date, crashing 4-0 to Scunthorpe United,

Since then they’ve lost 5-3 at Gateshead and won 3-0 at Northern League side Dunston, with one of the goals coming from former Spireites trialist Nicky Featherstone.

Armand Gnanduillet, a midweek scorer atgainst Ilkeston, will be hoping his form earns him a start at Victoria Park, while Gboly Ariyibi and Michael Onovwigun also have strong claims to start.

Meanwhile, Chesterfield cashed in on Darikwa to avoid losing him for nothing at the end of the season, Turner revealed yesterday.

The 23-year-old, Chesterfield’s reigning player of the year, joined Burnley yesterday for an undisclosed fee after making it clear he wished to leave the Proact.

Turner said: “Dean Saunders tried to persuade Tendayi to agree a new deal, but he was adamant that he wanted to leave and submitted a couple of transfer requests.

“I can appreciate Tendayi’s position because he is keen to further his career by playing in the Championship.

“We were left with the prospect of trying to keep an unsettled player for the season, knowing that we would lose him for nothing at the end of the campaign, so we felt that we had to secure the best fee possible in order to move on and grant Tendayi his wish of playing Championship football.

“Tendayi has made an excellent contribution during his time with us and I would like to wish him all the very best for the future.”